Friday, October 29, 2010

If I wanted to buy a new state of the art computer I know I would do everything possible to make sure I get a good deal for a great computer. I would have to take time and put forth major effort into buying this computer because it is a major investment. This computer is not something I would buy for a week and then just throw away. In fact, I would own this computer for a number of years so I want to make sure I buy a computer that will last. First. I would research computers online so that I can get an idea of what I want in my computer and the price range I am willing to take. Second, after much research I would go to a store where I can get specific help on computers such as Office Depot or Best Buy. Assuming I choose Best Buy, I would take a little tour around the computer section and read some of the information. Once I am ready to begin buying I would find a person to assist in explaining the various pros and cons of the computers. I would them commence to asking him questions so that I can better understand the products. I understand if i am serious about buying a state of the art computer this process might take more than a couple of days. Once I have found a computer I am satisfied with I would proceed to purchase it and set it up.

A college admission test can be a very nerve wrecking subject. The pressure can turn out to be unbearable and stress might start to overcome your days. All one has to do is follow a couple of steps and passing your college admission exam can be a breeze. Number one on the list should be obvious and that is to study. However, there is not a specific area to study because a college admission exam covers general topics. You should be prepared to face reading comprehension problem, sentence completion problems, and elementary math such as Algebra. Number two on the list is to stay relaxed. Many people fail their test because they are too nervous. If you stay relax you will notice that these are strategies you have been working on since the moment you set foot in a school, in this case about twelve years ago. All you need to do is be confident in your skills and the learning you retained and you will be fine. Number three is to stay focused. if you get constantly distracted, you should practice staying focused on a subject for two hours. Without focus their is no concentration and you will not be able to process the information. Lastly before taking an exam you must have gotten a good amount of rest so that your brain and body can feel energized. make sure to eat a breakfast to spark your energy source. With these tips in mind, passing your college admission test should not be so hard.

Ending a relationship can be one of the most dreaded tasks for many people. For this reason, it is important to end a relationship on as close to a good note as possible. Before ending a relationship you must make sure if that is what you truly want to do. Take some time to think about it because it is a big decision. Once you have made your decision stick to it. When ending a relationship try to stay as calm as possible and do it as nicely as possible. It is important to remember that your soon to be ex girlfriend or ex boyfriend was once someone who meant a lot to you and will leave you with some good memories. Timing is also important when ending a relationship, for example do not break up with someone hours before a big final exam or on their birthday. That would be too devastating. Wait it out for a little while and do it at an appropriate time. However, do not force yourself to be in a relationship for a long period of time. That would be a lie and you would be unhappy. You must be prepared to explain why you are ending the relationship to your significant other. You can not just say it is over and not explain why. Your significant other deserves to know why you have made the decision to call it quits. When you are in the act of breaking up remember to stay cool, calm, and collected, but do not expect the same from your boyfriend/girlfriend. keep in mind that they might not have seen it coming and might react in sadness, shock, or anger. If they beg you to stay in the relationship do not give in just because you feel sorry for them. Breaking up is always hard to do, so hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

When we were younger and in elementary school making friends was a lot easier. All you had to do was say your name and then ask if they wanted to go play on the swings. In a matter of five seconds you had made a new friend. As we grew up it became harder to make friends. Now, friendships are not built in a couple of seconds they take time. One thing that hasn't changed is the first step to making a friend. To start off, you first have to say your name. It is important to try you hardest to not forget the other person's name. Then you need to start a conversation. Get to know each other. You should ask questions about their family and their interests. However, you must be very careful in the manner you ask your question because you do not want to seem like some weird creep. Make sure to not ask all the questions yourself. Leave time for the other person to ask you questions so that they can get to know a little something about you. Find an interest you have in common, like a sport or shopping. Start talking about that and your conversation should start flowing easier. Then maybe you should make plans to go shopping or go to the park and play you common sport. Make sure you are not late and if you can not make it because of some emergency, make sure to let the other person know. Once you find the point of common interest you and the other person can start building trust and eventually become really great friends.

My favorite elementary school game definitely has to be kickball. In the second elementary school I went to, from third to half of fifth grade, kickball was the most popular game. Handball was a close second but kickball was definitely number one. My classmates and I would watch the clock so tentatively waiting for it to be recess. Once it was recess we would run out of the class and go straight to the kickball field. Two captains would be chosen and then they would pick their teams. During recess the ones in charge of kickball were the boys. They did not like to play with girls because they thought girls were slow and soft. However they made an exception for about four girls because they were fast and were good. I was one of these girls. I liked Kickball because I felt special being one of the few girls chosen by the boys to play. Most of the other girls would beg to be picked on a team but the boys would not hear it.

Kickball is similar to baseball except without a bat and gloves. The ball is also much bigger and there are four bases and one pitcher. The pitcher roles the ball to the kicker and the kicker has to try to kick the ball as hard as possible. Once they kick the ball they have to take of running to the base. If an outfielder catches the ball it is an automatic out. If they do not catch the ball but tag you with the ball before you are at the base then that is also an out. I liked kickball because I liked the touch of the ball on my foot when I struck it with all my strength. It was also fun to get some of the boys out. Kickball was a game that ended with elementary school but I got a lot of good memories from it.

According to dictionary.com, prejudice is an unfavorable opinion or feeling formed beforehand or without knowledge, thought, or reason. Prejudice is a dangerous area that can cause many negative effects. One thing that causes prejudice is the desire to be superior to another person. When a white American decides their race is superior to a Hispanic American then they are being prejudice. They have not gotten to know the Hispanic and assumed they were better beforehand. They didn't even take the time to find out if the Hispanic was maybe some sort of genius or athletic superstar. The white American just saw the color of the skin and assumed the Hispanic was worthless.
Prejudice has a history of negativity. Who among us can forget one of the major acts of prejudice as well as one of the most horrible; the holocaust. The Holocaust was a major act of prejudice against Jewish people. The Holocaust also demonstrates one of the effects of prejudice, suffering. When their is prejudice the people who are being judged beforehand are the ones who suffer. They do not get fair or equal treatment and their lives are made much more harder. They are given no voice and seen as animals.
Prejudice is also caused by the result of parenting. Sometimes parents hand down their prejudice towards certain people to their children. Their children then become prejudice and the cycle continues. Another effect of prejudice is hatred. People who are being prejudiced upon develop a deep seeded hatred towards those inflicting the prejudice. Prejudice is just bad news and we are better of without it.

Most states allow people to get a driver’s license at the age of 16. Some people feel that 16 is much too young for the responsibility that comes with driving a car and that teenagers should not be allowed to drive until the age of 18. In your opinion, at what age should people be allowed to drive, and why?

Driving a vehicle is both a privilege and a major responsibility. Driving requires a person that can maintain focus, conduct a car as safely as possible, and follow the rules of the road. I believe the driving age should be kept at sixteen in those states who already have that law and that it should be set at sixteen in those states that do not. The driving age should be kept at sixteen because teenagers can handle the responsibility that comes with it and learn safe driving from the beginning.

Responsibility is an area people will have to face for the rest of their lives because people will always be accountable for something for the rest of their lives. In this case, one will be held accountable for driving in such a manner that the safety of others as well as the driver’s is always a priority. Setting the driving age to sixteen will allow teenagers to learn the previously stated statement better. Although driving is a great way to travel, it is definitely dangerous if not done properly. It is also an area where the longer you drive the better you get at it, or in other words practice makes perfect. Having the driving age at sixteen would be a great way to teach a teenager responsibility, especially because driving is something they look forward to learning, thus it can be expected that if strict rules are enforced teenagers will follow them, just so they can drive. Starting drivers at sixteen will make them all around better drivers.

However driving will not be a benefit just handed to sixteen year olds. They will have to earn it. As I stated at the beginning driving is a privilege and because the age of sixteen is considered a minor age there are certain requirements that make it a challenge to drive at sixteen. For a teenager to be able to legally drive at the age of sixteen they have to take a driver’s education class, a driver’s training class, pass the written test, have a permit for at least six months, and pass a driver’s test all so they can get their license. So as one can see a teenager legally driving at the age of sixteen has earned their right to drive.

Some people say that sixteen year old drivers are reckless and unsafe but if this were true they wouldn’t have been able to get there license. Sure some teenage drivers are better than others and make dangerous decisions but the same can be said for adults, otherwise we wouldn’t have car accidents everyday. Car accidents in a world where millions of people drive are inevitable; and although teenagers do account for some of those accidents they should not have to take the blame for all of them.

I learned to drive at the age of sixteen and I have since never gotten in a car accident. I can say from experience that the majority of reckless driver’s I see are adults. It is not fair to use that excuse to deny sixteen year olds the right to drive. I believe sixteen is the perfect age to get a driver’s license. It is not too young to the point where you are incapable of handling responsibility and it is not too old to the point where you are considered an adult. Pushing back the driving age to eighteen will also push back the development of responsibility of teens when it comes to driving. The driving age should be sixteen because teens will learn road responsibility and road safety earlier and with more enthusiasm.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Impulse buying is one of those bad problems most people do not hear about. Impulse buying is when someone purchases items in the "spur of the moment" constantly. Impulse buying can be caused by a number of reasons. One cause of impulse buying can be related to a person's emotions. When some people get mad or sad they usually cry. However, other people try to mask that pain by shopping. They buy whatever is available without even thinking or planning to buy it. Impulse buying usually starts with little things. A person might buy ten chocolate bars or fifty books. Unfortunately this can lead to buying more expensive things like a car or twenty new outfits. Because impulse buying happens in the spur of the moment most impulse buyers use credit cards. When people are not careful and participate in impulse buying they could find themselves in a whole bunch of financial problems down the road. Impulse buying is also caused when people easily give in to promotional messages. Some people can not resist the urge to buy the latest product or call in to order from the latest infomercial. Due to this they are constantly ordering new products without even thinking about the effects. Impulse buying can seem like it is helping at the time but most impulse buyers are left with a feeling of guilt and disappointment afterwards. They feel worst after then they did before. Overall impulse buying solves nothing at all. Instead it adds more problems to an already problematic life.

One day I was running around for exercise on a giant green field. It was the early morning and I was the only one on the field. I was listening to my ipod when all of a sudden I heard a loud BOOM! I thought it was my ipod at first but when I realized it wasn't I turned around. I stared at the vast emptiness for about two minutes but not one single blade of grass moved. I quickly turned around and let out a scream. Right in front of me was a little purple alien with three hands and one eye. I thought he was going to kill me so I closed my eyes. "H-H-Hi". Those words didn't come out of my mouth, I thought to myself. I opened my eyes and the alien was smiling. Then he said "What is pollution?" I thought to myself, "what a random question to ask." The alien did not seem dangerous so I decided to answer. I explained to him as simply as possible how pollution was when earth's water, air, or land became dirty. I told him how pollution affected the earth and the people who live on earth. I also told him how pollution is unfortunately caused by humans. The poor little alien was shocked. He understood that pollution was a horrible thing that destroyed nature. Pollution was harmful. I tried to explain it to him as clearly and simply as possible. Then the little alien said thank you and just disappeared. I stood there perplexed when a few seconds later I heard another giant BOOM! I never saw that little purple alien again. How weird!

Modern life would be a completely different story without computers. Nowadays, people and companies are so dependent on the computer for everything. If we didn't have computers things would be a lot harder for us and take a lot more effort and time. Imagine having to write a ten page paper on any school subject. With computers we do all of our research online at any given moment. However, if computers failed to exist we would have to read through countless amount of books to find what we are looking for. Modern life would also be different without computers because there would be one less device of communication. We use computers to send e-mails and keep in touch with friends and families. If we didn't have computers then e-mails and online chatting rooms and networks would not exist. We would have to stick to sending letters through the mail all the time.
Computers allow us to write papers and correct grammar all at once. We can make charts on the computer and tables. Without computers modern life wouldn't have all these benefits. We wouldn't be able to type a paper for a class except on a typewriter. Our papers would come out with a lot more mistakes because there would be no spelling check. Last but certainly not least modern life would be a lot heavier. What I mean by this is that we carry computers around because some of them are portable. if we didn't have computers we might have to constantly carry around books and imagine carrying a typewriter!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

There are many specific details that makes the difference between a good driver and a terrible one. When I was learning to drive my father would always say "Expect the Unexpected." This is also known as defensive driving and is a technique that makes a person a good driver. When someone drives defensively they are always aware of what is going on. For someone to drive defensively they have to understand that not everyone will follow the rules and thus they should not expect anyone to follow the rules. For example if it is your right of way do no expect another driver to always give you the right of way. Sometime they will ignore you or try to beat you to your move. In cases like these accidents occur, if you do not drive defensively. Another important technique is to know the rules of the road. If you as a driver, know the rules of the road then you will make the road safer for yourself as well as other drivers. Focus is an important quality to have while driving. You need to look at your surroundings constantly and take them in within seconds. It is important that a driver does not maintain a fixed stare because then they won't see what is happening around them. Being focused requires that you concentrate on driving safely. It does not mean that a driver should text or read while driving. Many accidents occur because people weren't paying attention. If these few techniques and behaviors are followed the world would be filled with a whole lot of better drivers.

My family as well as myself are huge Laker fans, so naturally one of my favorite sports figures would have to be Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant was born on August 23, 1978 to Joe Bryant and Pamela Cox Bryant. From a young age he was introduced to basketball because his father was a professional basketball player. Because of his father moving around constantly to play for different teams Kobe Bryant learned to speak Italian and Spanish fluently. He would practice with his dad and learned many of his moves from his father. During his father's games Kobe would sometimes play on the court during half times. He got used to hearing the screaming and the chanting for his father. Once in high school he was coached by his father his sophomore year. He gained many merits, awards, and recognition.

These events helped him become successful in the NBA. Kobe was so use to basketball that there was hardly ever a day where he didn't touch one. The Spanish and Italian he learned helped him communicate with some of his team mates such as Sasha Vujacic and Pau Gasol in a way that other competitors could not understand what he was saying. During his years playing basketball in Lower Marion High School, Kobe Bryant learned to became a great leader, student of the game, and he learned how to deal with constant attention and speculation . Kobe learned to work hard and be determined. Being around constant cheering, screaming and even booing let him work on concentration even in the craziest of arenas or craziest of fans. All of these factors combined have played a part in his achievement of winning five NBA championship rings, MVP, and many other awards. The events in his life as well as just being good, shaped his success.

Everybody has things that make them special people and I am no exception. I am special because I constantly try to give my best in anything I do. When I am in school I try to get the best grades and turn in the best work, when I am playing in a soccer game I try to give my best effort for the entire ninety minutes as well as in any other task or challenge I choose to take on. I have also noticed that I like helping people. I am always helping my parents with the house, my brother with his homework, my sister-in-law with her baby, my friends with their homework or any subject they need help on, the church members with some activities, and my list could just keep going. I don't find it to be a burden, in fact I don't mind doing it at all. I am here to help in any way whether you need me to listen or some advice.
Most of the people I talk too can say I constantly mention my little brother and my niece and I have come to the conclusion that I have a motherly instinct, which in my opinion is a unique quality to have at the age of seventeen. When I am around children something inside me tells me what to do to stop them from crying or get a smile out of them. It is a quality I enjoy having and I know will be very useful in the future. I am also special because I know how to put smiles on peoples faces when they are down. Many of my closest friends have told me that I made them feel better when they were having a rough day. Maybe it helps that I always have a smile on my face. When things are not going great for me I always try to be positive and keep that smile on my face. I don't really open up and tell people what I feel, and although that may not be a good decision at times it is a quality that makes me who I am. I am strong and extremely responsible. There are many things that make me special but to sum it up as simply as possible, I am special because I am a sweet girl with a truly genuine heart, and that's hard to find these days.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Having pride in your work is a feeling worth having. When you have pride in your work you are in a state of being proud or in other words you are proud of your work. When you are proud of your work it makes the assignment or project worth while because you get to be proud of yourself. Being proud of your work is important because it is the whole reason one works for. If you are not proud in your work then everything you did was basically a huge waste of time. You may also not be proud of your work if you know you did something wrong like cheat or plagiarize. When you CAN be proud of your work than it is because you have nothing to be ashamed of in relationship to that work. You can honestly and humbly accept any praise that comes from your work and rejoice in your achievement.
Having pride in your work is also important because it implies that you put the time and effort into accomplishing an assignment. When you can be proud of your work then it means what you did was important to you. Having pride in your work is also important because it shows that you have confidence in yourself and in the product you put forward. People would much rather accept a product from somebody who is proud of what they did in comparison to someone who did it with a bad attitude and is not pleased with the result. If you can't be proud of the work you did then certainly do not expect any one else to be proud of what you did.

According to dictionary.com there are three definitions for the word diversity. The first one is the state or fact of being diverse; difference; unlikeness. The second one is variety or mutiformity. The last and third one is a point of difference. To get an even better perspective on the word diversity I decided to also look up its root word, diverse. According to dictionary.com diverse means of a different kind, form, character, etc. and it also means of various kinds or forms. Based on these definitions I can conclude that diversity means a variety or wide range of one thing. One example of this would be race. When I hear the word diversity the first thing that comes to my mind is color or race. One thinks of Hispanics or Latinos, African Americans, Caucasians, Asians, etc. However diversity is not only limited to race or color. Diversity can also be used to describe music. There is a wide range or variety of music and music classifications that would make diversity appropriate for describing music. There is rock music, classical music, pop music, rap music, techno music and much more. You could also use diversity to describe a specific section of issues. What I mean by this is that you could classify Latino Community issues or perhaps Asian community issues as diverse. There are many different issues that the Latino or Asian community can deal with or discuss. Diversity is all around us. One just has to open their eyes and see it.

Cooperation to me means working together with at least one other person to benefit both sides. I wanted to see if I was right in my definition so I decided to go online at dictionary.com and check out their definition. According to dictionary.com, Cooperation means an act or instance of working or acting together for a common purpose or benefit. I believe my definition in comparison to the dictionary's definition have the same essence.
Cooperation to me is a very important area. Simply summed up, cooperation makes things a whole lot easier. One scenario would be working in a group for a school project. As a student that is a task I often encounter. When I am in a group where there is a person who doesn't want to help in any way, every one else gets more work. On the other hand, when every member of our group chooses to cooperate and do their share of the work, the project gets done faster and easier. Cooperation is important to me because it makes my life easier as well as the other person's life or persons lives. Cooperation is also important to me outside of school when it involves my safety or that of my loved ones, for example if one out of a duo of bomb setting criminals was to get caught I would certainly want the criminal that is caught to cooperate with the police so that his partner can also get caught or he should at least tell the officers where the bombs are set. When cooperation in situations where it is needed is used life goes a little more smoothly.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Communication has changed at an impressively alarming rate over the past twenty years and will most likely continue to further change as years pass. Although twenty years doesn't seem like that long ago, technology begs to differ. Communication was around twenty years ago but the major change has been in the improvement of the technology used. Cell phones were available twenty years ago but they were big and clunky. Now a days they are slim. One of the major differences in cell phones back then to cellphones now is that we now have touch screens. We can actually work a phone and make a call without having to push big buttons. All we have to do is press the screen and everything works with the touch of your fingers. Another major revolutionary improvement in technology is text messaging. It has become very popular. Text messaging allows you to talk with another person in seconds without having to make a call. There are also bluetooths which allow you to talk on the phone without having to use your hands.

Computers have also drastically improved. They have become sleeker and smaller yet retain much more information and even work faster. Social networks have developed which allow you to chat with your friends and post up status' on what is going on in your life. It is another way of communicating without a phone. Communications continue to change even as we speak. Just recently a new camera has come out that allows the picture taker to take a picture and email it to someone on the spot. It is a way of communicating through picture. Communications will be around forever and will only improve more. I can only imagine what changes in communication will be like twenty years from today.

Teachers can teach more effectively by simply making the material more interesting. Half the time students don't pay attention because they lose interest in the subject within a couple of minutes and let's face it, a two hour lecture isn't exactly what I would call "interesting". For teachers to teach more effectively they have to get the students to want to learn by keeping things mind captivating. Teachers should switch up their schedule and use various teaching methods throughout the week. For instance one day they could show a video, the next day they could give a lecture, the third day they could do hands-on teaching, the fourth day they could play jeopardy in a way that reviews the information, and the fifth day students could work in groups or take a test. The point is to teach in a way that is not predictable. Going to a class where the teacher does the exact same thing every class becomes a bore and puts students in a bad mood before they even walk in the door. A negative mood will immediately make learning harder. Another teaching technique that could help teachers teach more effectively is for the teacher to be in control of their class. Believe it or not there are some teachers that do not have the control over their students. This makes the students feel in charge and they think they do not have to learn. When a teacher can not control his own class he should not expect to do much teaching. As a result a teacher's confidence may be lowered and control may never be obtained.Confidence is a major point. A good teaching method would be to make their students confident. When someone is confident they trust themselves and feel like they CAN handle the material. If a teacher can make his or her students feel confident in their work and their learning ability then teaching should be easy because students will learn faster.

Conveniences can change people's lives in only two ways; negatively or positively. A convenience is the state of being able to proceed with something with little effort or difficulty. Based on this definition I assume that if you live a life where conveniences are constantly available to you, then you will subconsciously become the type of person that lives life with little effort. Negatively speaking, constant conveniences will change people's life for the worse. People will become accustomed to never giving one hundred percent, or to never truly try at anything, or as one of my teachers says, they will never give "EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME."
Conveniences can also change people's lives for the better. Sometimes when your day is going bad and everything seems to be collapsing on top of you, a nice little convenience that might pop up might be just the thing to brighten your day. One example of this would be to imagine a person who has a great debt built up. They have utility bills due the next day, they are already late for a mortgage payment, and the car insurance bill has just arrived. Your paycheck is two weeks away and up to this point you have no idea what you are going to do. You walk outside an find one thousand dollars on the floor. No one is around and you can't just randomly start asking people if they lost one thousand dollars. Fortunately for you the one thousand dollars can cover your bills and a part of your mortgage. Finding the one thousand dollars was a convenience when it came to having to pay your responsibilities. The possibilities of ever finding one thousand dollars on the floor again are slim but for the moment it allowed you to relax. Of course you will have to keep working hard to be able to pay the next time but this convenience allowed you to survive for the meantime.

In my opinion there are two ways a person achieves fame and fortune. A person can achieve fame and fortune by either working hard and earning it or by simply being handed the fame and fortune down by their parents. When a person works hard to achieve their fame and their fortune they also inevitably end up building their character. During the process of reaching their desired status these people must have encountered failures. Each failure that they surpassed taught them determination, and every time they had to find the strength to try one more time, they learned to "dig deep" within themselves and push themselves harder. It is these kinds of people that truly remain humble once they have acquired the fame and fortune, because they have exhausted themselves and put in the time and effort. They will forever know what it was like to be on the other side of the spectrum and for that be truly grateful of their great luck.
However, the people that are just given fame and fortune often expect everything to just as well be GIVEN to them. These are the type of people most of the ones who aren't famous or have a whole bunch of money consider "spoiled". They don't have the challenge or privilege of knowing what it is like or how it feels to have to work for something. Not everyone who inherits fame and fortune is like this but there is a possibility that they might turn out unappreciative.

A major environmental problem that has been rising to an all time high over the past couple of years is air pollution. Air pollution should be a concern to everyone. Air pollution is caused by many different factors. It can be caused from factories, cars, buses, fires, and power plants. Air pollution is a major threat to the health of people as well as the planet in general. People, especially children can acquire asthma from air pollution. Air pollution makes the air that surrounds you dangerous and unhealthy. As for the planet, air pollution is responsible for the damage done to the ozone layer.

I believe immediate action must be taken to help spare lives from air pollutant related diseases and make the planet a better place to live in. As previously stated air pollution is cause by both humans and by nature. There is nothing we can really do to stop the natural pollutants, such as wildfires, except to do our best and try to put out the fires as fast as possible. I think factories need to find a way to produce material in a way that doesn't require them to create so much smoke and fog. Cars and buses need to be replaced by hybrids or remodeled to emit as little pollution as possible. As for the old cars that cough up so much smoke when driven, they need to be destroyed and replaced by a newer, cleaner car. Everyone can do their part to help stop air pollution by using less energy and reducing waste, so that factories and companies do not have to create so much smoke to get rid of your waste and produce more energy.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Diabetes type two is a disease that has come into the lives of many and changed them for ever, for the worse. Diabetes is known as a chronic disease which simply means a lifelong disease. It is a condition in which a human being constantly faces high blood pressure because there is a problem in the way there body makes and uses insulin. I understand some people are born with the disease and there is nothing they could have done to prevent it, but people with type two diabetes acquire it by not taking care of their heath, and more specifically their sugar intake. However, type two diabetes does not result from only eating sugary treats. It also results from the other food you eat and how healthy it is. It is okay to indulge yourself in food every once in a while, but when you make it a habit it becomes dangerous. Most people with type two diabetes where overweight at the time they were diagnosed. Type two diabetes in children is a shame. Their parents should have monitored their treats and snacks more closely. Once you are diagnosed with diabetes there is no going back. You constantly have to monitor what you eat and take insulin and other medications. It becomes a burden that sticks with you for the rest of your life. The reason I believe type two diabetes is serious enough to warrant immediate attention is because it is preventable. All you need is the knowledge and information on how to take care of your body and the commitment to make healthy living a lifestyle.

There are various factors that contribute to a teenager's choice to start smoking. One of the major reasons teenagers start smoking is because of their environment. When teenagers live in an environment where people smoking is a common sight they might find it only natural for them to start smoking too. Also, when teenagers live in an area where crime, gangs, and violence is prevalent, they might find smoking to be their only way out. Teenagers might also start to smoke because of peer pressure. Teens might come across a group of friends who suddenly won't accept them as part of their group unless they smoke. Scared to become exiled and deemed a loser they feel they have no choice but to smoke to remain in the in-crowd. Another reason is curiosity. There is no doubt that the teenage years are filled with the desire to try new things and that curiosity might tempt them to try smoking.
While there can be some immediate problems resulting form teenage smoking most problems are long term ones and show up much later in life. Immediate problems include bad breath and lack of air when doing physical activities. The major long term problem, which should come of no surprise to anyone, is cancer. Cancer in the lungs is horrible. You are constantly dealing with a hacking cough and the inability to catch your breath. However another major problem is addiction. When you have reached the point of addiction you have lost control. Breaking an addiction from a drug has got to be one of the hardest challenges around. Overall smoking is truly not worth it.

Math has been a required subject in school ever since you entered school. I am sure almost everyone has asked themselves what good math will do after school is done and I am no exception. One of my teachers always says that math is simply the art of solving problems. That is exactly why math is so important. Mathematics teaches you how to solve problems. There are three things you can always count on when it comes to math. 1. there is a problem, 2. you have to figure out the necessary steps required to solve that problem, and 3. there is a solution. The difficulty of the problems vary but those three things never change. When you spend years and years solving math problems what you are truly doing, is working on your problem solving skills; skills you will need for the rest of you life because for every problem you will have to identify the problem, see what can be done to fix it, and arrive at an answer.

Mathematics is a subject that deals with everything there is to know about numbers, and numbers are something you better get used to seeing your entire life, especially when we live in a world where money is everything. Face it you are stuck with numbers. They will appear on checks, bills, and recites. What will make the difference between a hard life and an easier one will be your ability to deal with these numbers. This is another reason why math is so important. Learning basic mathematics skills will help you do basic everyday life activities, such as trying to save money when shopping and distributing your money into bills and payments. Mathematics in general, is so important because it will always be around.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

For many people food is a subject that brings smiles to their faces. Most people, especially minorities and in my case Hispanics, choose food to eat that remind them of their country. For instance, two side dishes you are sure to find fifty percent of the time in a Hispanic house hold include beans and rice. There seems to be something in Latino nature that just makes us really enjoy rice and beans as an accessory to whatever we are eating. Sometimes when my family goes out to eat at a Salvadorean restaurant my dad orders food such as a pupusa or a seven seas soup. Occasionally he will say, "it tastes just like the ones in El Salvador I use to eat." This brings me to the conclusion that some people choose the food they eat because it reminds them of something special like their country. In the case of my father he was reminded of his childhood in El Salvador. When people leave everything they know and emigrate to another country they take comfort in food because it is a part of their culture that can not be taken and its nice to be reminded of home every once in a while.

Another reason people choose the food they eat is because of tradition. In my family, as in most others, it is a tradition to eat turkey during Thanksgiving. Another example of this would be birthday cakes. It is a tradition for many to eat cake to celebrate a birthday. That may not be the only reason for eating cake but it is an example of a tradition.People eats foods to celebrate.

Possessing good habits makes every day life easier and with life already being so tough, any little help is welcomed. One of my best and most useful habits is the good habit of having great time management. Time management is the quality of being able to distribute one’s time wisely so that everything that needs to be done GETS done. Great time management separates the organized sane people from the messy chaotic people. Having the good habit of time management is something everybody should strive to have.

It is interesting to contemplate the fact that there are twenty four hours in an entire day yet there never seems to be enough time to complete everything you want to do. There is no doubt that never having enough time can lead to stress and take a toll on you physically. However, there is a way to reduce this stress. How? By being able to manage the amount of time you dedicate to everything. Being able to manage your time makes you feel like you are in control of your life. It is what allows you to sleep at night more peacefully.

I am living proof of how important time management skills are because I am constantly busy. I have school from eight in the morning till three in the afternoon. Then I have soccer practice right after school until five o’clock. I go home and I have to find the time to help my brother with his homework, help around the house, eat with the family, do my homework, and then go to my second soccer practice from eight pm to nine thirty pm. I get back home around ten o’clock and I finish anything else I need to finish. With such a hectic schedule things can get crazy within seconds, but they don’t because I know how much time to dedicate to each area. It is important to prioritize. Physically, if I didn’t manage my time I would look horrible. My eyes would be blood shot red and my body would be slouched.

Time management also helps you on an emotional level. If one is constantly busy it can be easy to get frustrated and just feel like you want to explode. Your emotions might get out of control and you might go from happy to mad to sad. It would be like riding a roller coaster and throwing up while on it. Managing you time wisely will help to keep your emotions in check and you will feel better all around.

I see absolutely no cons when it comes to the habit of good time management. There is no possible way time management skills can negatively affect your life. It can only help you out. Time management is a habit where nothing can go wrong. I can personally guarantee that such a habit will make life easier. So, for the sake of your physical and emotional health I strongly urge you to work on your time management skills.I honestly don’t know how I would survive without being able to wisely manage my time.

The internet has become an essential part of modern life, specifically in American society. People, both users and providers have turned to the internet for many things. They have become almost dependent on the internet. Users count on the internet, which is a network, for the latest news. When I say news it includes local news, global news, and entertainment, such as what’s going on with celebrities. The reason the internet is so widely used and popular is because you can literally find close to everything on it. The World Wide Web is just as its name states, world wide. You could use it to better improve yourself as well. You could use the internet to find a job. You could even take classes on the internet.

On the other side of the spectrum are the providers. Providers count on the internet to get their information across. News stations count on users to visit and use their site. Advertisers count on users to be persuaded into buying their product. It is just another way to constantly try to get you to buy stuff. For the providers the internet is easy money. Another purpose of the World Wide Web is communication. The internet is a way to reach audiences; it is a way to keep in touch with relatives and friends. You could be talking to someone across the United States and still see their face using a web cam. You could use chatting websites to meet people. It is also a way to communicate events to people. Providers might announce upcoming events and ticket prices. The Internet is even a way to find a date! With the internet the possibilities seem to be endless.

The weekend is finally here. You have been waiting months to take a flight out of Miami, Florida to go visit your aunt in sunny California. This also happens to be your first time flying on an airplane. You are both anxious and excited for a great adventure. You cheerfully pack up the belongings you plan to take and start heading outside. As you open the door you notice that it is raining gently. You get in your car and start heading for the airport. Suddenly the rain starts getting harder. You hope for the rain to stop and arrive at the airport. You park your car and go inside to check in your luggage. The rain keeps coming harder and harder. At this point it is pouring rain. Out of nowhere you hear thunder. Within a couple of seconds you see lightning. You check in your luggage and wait for your flight to begin boarding. While you wait you can still hear the tapping of the rain on objects outside and the roaring of the thunder. You stand up because your flight should begin boarding in about a couple of seconds. You look up at the screen and to your horror it says boarding delayed. Beads of sweat begin to form on your forehead and you wonder what is going on. Only five minutes pass, although it seems like you have been waiting for hours, and this time when you look up at the monitor. it says flight canceled. Your heart drops to your stomach and your jaw falls all the way to the floor. You can't believe it and feel like crying. The talk in the airport by people waiting is silenced when a lady starts talking over the intercom, "Due to extremely bad weather conditions all flights leaving Miami have been postponed until further notice. We are sorry for the inconvenience but safety comes first." There is nothing you can do but call your aunt and explain the change of plans.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

My ideal vacation is constantly changing. Sometimes I want to go to Italy and see Europe and sometimes I want to go to Barcelona and see Spain. Other times I want to go to Hawaii, New Zealand, or Australia. However for the purpose of this blog I have decided that I currently want to go to Paris, France. There is a great reputation about the Eiffel tower and I would love to go see it myself. Maybe I can even have a picnic under the Eiffel tower. I’d start of my vacation by visiting the Eiffel tower and spending some time there. Next I would do some shopping. I have heard a lot about Paris’ boutiques and if I had a vacation in Paris there is no way I would leave without shopping. After spending a couple of hours buying clothes I would buy an ice cream cone and take a tour of Paris. I would love to see some of Paris’ other landmarks and get a taste for their art and culture. I would end my first day of vacation by treating myself to a beautiful restaurant where I can get a taste of the French cuisine. For the rest of the days of my vacation I would also keep myself busy by doing as much as I can in a day. I would love to actually go visit some of the museums in Paris and check out their library. I would go to Versailles and spend some time in their gardens and visit the hall of mirrors. I would also go to Paris’ flea markets and catch a movie at a cinema. If I had the money I might even go to Hamman de le Grande Mosque and get a massage. I know I can find many more things to do in Paris but I think I have mentioned enough. There is no doubt that meanwhile in Paris I would be taking tons of pictures to keep as a memory. I hope I truly do get to travel to Paris in the future.

Obesity has escaladed to an all time high over the past couple of years. I believe there is nothing even remotely close to a benefit when it comes to being obese. Obesity is a disease that comes with both personal and societal problems. One of the major personal problems that attack an obese person is the issue of self confidence. Many obese people hate their bodies and thus hate their life. They are extremely insecure and sometimes as a result they depend on food to make them forget about their problems. Such a deep hate toward oneself can lead to depression. Obesity also increases the risk of a heart attack and raises cholesterol levels as well as blood pressure. Society wise, as the amount of obese people increases, the United States is becoming an obese nation. We are becoming an unhealthy America. I believe obesity is a societal problem because society is partly responsible for it. Although all the technology we have is great it is, to a certain extent, negatively affecting Americans. People are giving up more of the time they spent exercising or moving around to stay at home watching television or using the internet. Another approach in considering obesity as a societal problem is to look at it from a class perspective. Why are there more obese people at the lower middle and bottom class? I think this is because the cost of living in America has gone up so much that people are starting to rely on fast food and unhealthy eating as a way to save money or fast food is simply what people in these classes can afford. Whatever the case, obesity is just a whole lot of problems.

According to Dictionary.com and Ally is a person that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose. In my opinion there are two main reasons two people of different interests and backgrounds can become unlikely allies. The first reason is that these two people might need something of one another. In a way they might be using each other to gain something. Let’s say you have a very involved Muslim school girl that always follows the rules and who happens to be in charge of a school fundraising festival. She is in desperate need of a band to perform at the fundraiser but can not waist any money on it. On the other hand you have a punk rock Hispanic boy who is part of a band and needs to get some exposure for his band. However, the Muslim girl does not like the type of music the Hispanic boy plays, but she is desperate need of a band and the boy feels he can not work with the girl but needs to build a fan base. She decides to hire him because she needs him and he decides to keep quiet and play because he needs her. They end up spending time with one another and find out the other person is not so bad. In this scenario both sides needed something of the other and ended up becoming allies. The second reason two unlikely people might become allies is because of curiosity. They might be interested about the other person’s background and decide to untie for the sole purpose of broadening their knowledge about other cultures.

Outdoor living is a unique experience. It is different in so many ways from city life. In the outdoors you will hear new sounds every night and get to smell the beautiful aroma only trees can give off. Life in the city is surrounded by honking cars and the voices of hundreds of people talking at once. In contrast, life outdoors is surrounded by peaceful silence and the whisper of the wind. Occasionally you even get to hear the echoes of animals talking. Living in the city, one gets use to smelling gasoline residue from cars or intoxicating cigarette smoke from smokers, but in the outdoors all you smell is fresh clean air. Outdoor life is a great way to get away from stressful situations. It is a great way to clear your mind. It puts you in a secluded area, kind of like your own world. Disadvantages include the fact that you might sometimes get lonely. Also, if you are not the outdoorsy type you might not like the natural atmosphere. However, I believe that the nature aspect that comes with the outdoors is one of the best parts. If you are so accustomed to city life and enjoy it, I definitely recommend you at least visit the outdoors every once in a while. Maybe you could rent a cabin out there and take a break from “the hustle and bustle” of city life. One of the best benefits of the outdoors is the scenery. In the city you are lucky if get to see one star. In contrast, in the outdoors you see millions. It is definitely a spectacular sight that will leave you in awe. They don’t call it the GREAT outdoors for nothing. It’s beautiful out there!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Swimming has always been something I enjoyed doing. From the time I can remember up until now, I never had a fear of water. My mom even tells me that as a baby I never cried when taking a shower. However, my love for swimming became a dangerous issue around the time I was five years old. I remember going to pools and just jumping in. With eyes wide open and a mouth shut tightly, I would stare at the bubble as I slowly sank deeper and deeper. The feeling of being completely submersed in water was irreplaceable to me. Then I would see two huge hands come towards me, grab me, and pull me to the surface. Those hands were always connected to my dad. I would come out smiling but his face was always slightly pale. I guess this must have been because I actually did not know how to swim. At the age of five when I would jump in, what I considered swimming was in reality drowning. I just never knew because my dad would always come to my rescue.

As I started to do this more and more my parents realized they had to do something about it or else I would one day drown. So they signed me up for swimming classes. I was excited but quickly realized there was a lot I needed to learn. Swimming classes were something I looked forward to every week. By the end of the classes I was an expert at swimming, my parents felt more at ease, and I could continue doing one of the activities I loved.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Going to school for most children and teenagers in the United States of America is a normal, expected routine. A big part of the school experience involves socialization with your peers. However, going to a single sex school deprives students from getting the complete socialization practice. Single sex schools also keep you from learning to compete with the opposite gender. These institutions even encourage what parents surely do not wish to be encouraged. Thus, because of these three major consequences single-sex schools are not a good idea.

Socialization and communication is an extremely important skill. It is an ability that can get your name spread around and even land you a job. It is something you will use your entire life. At a single sex school you will, of course, only socialize and communicate with one sex. While you may learn to socialize well with this specific sex it serves of no purpose outside of your school. Unlike the single- sex school, the world is not made up of one gender. Going to a single sex school will not allow you to practice your socialization skills on both sexes. Being able to socialize and communicate with EVERYONE is what truly matters.

In the case of an all-girl school, girls will be deprived of learning to work with one of their biggest competitors of the world, boys. One of the major arguments for an all-girl school is that girls learn better when they aren’t competing with or being intimidated by boys, who statistically get more attention in the classroom. Nevertheless a girl who wants to learn will learn no matter who is in the classroom. Learning begins with the desire to learn. Also if girls never face their intimidation of boys then life in general will be made much harder for them, because boys in the working world will not just one day randomly disappear. Keeping girls in a closed institution away from the competition of boys will only increase intimidation when the time to compete against a boy comes and in fact be a disservice to the girl and to the whole world.

Single sex schools are a tricky concept because they can end up becoming dangerous, particularly at the teenage level. The teen years are years were a lot of curiosity is developed, especially about the opposite sex. Keeping teens away from the opposite sex during the eight hours of school and assuming parents do no let their teen child go anywhere they want to when they want to, can make teens resort to extreme measures to suffice their curiosity. Teenagers might be encouraged to sneak around just to hang out with the opposite sex. They might also be encouraged to lie to their parents to be able to go somewhere co-ed, such as a party. I’m sure parents will not approve of such encouragement of this particular behavior, but teens might feel that this is the only way. Overall the risk and cons that come with single-sex schools do more damage to a student than anything else. The focus should be taken off of single-sex schools and put on improving the co-ed schools we already have.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Have you ever found yourself wondering what to do with your extra time? Do you get that nice, warm funny feeling in you when you do something nice for someone else? If you answered yes to any of these two questions then volunteering is definitely something to look into. It is not only a way to help others but, ironically, also a way to better improve you own life. Volunteering for any type of charity presents many benefits.

One of the main reasons for volunteering can be summed up in one word, rewarding. Volunteering is a way to change somebody’s life. It is a means of making a difference. When that is achieved a sense of fulfillment surrounds you. Your confidence is lifted. If you have the ability to help others out then why not? As a volunteer for the program Big brothers Big Sisters I can vouch on behalf of the previous statements. Quickly summarized, Big Brothers Big Sisters is a volunteer program that pairs a high school student with an elementary student. The high school “big” serves as a mentor and friend to the elementary “little”. Spending time with my little sister does give me a sense of fulfillment. When I walk into the room to spend time with her and she jumps up and screams my name, I can’t help but smile. I feel like I matter to this little girl and giving up some of my time to be with her matters to her. A sense of “it’s worth it” accompanies the act of volunteering.

If you see yourself making money in your future more than likely you also see yourself working. Volunteering is a great way to get work experience. When you agree to volunteer for a charity you agree to make a commitment and to dedicate time. The same will apply for any job you take; you must commit and you must make the time.Volunteering will teach you responsibility and time management; two very important lessons for successfully running the rest of your life. It will also require you to put forth effort.

Volunteering is a great way to explore your career options. Some of the best advice I can give is to volunteer for something you are interested in. If you are interested in childcare than volunteer in a charity that deals with children, if you are interested in the medical field then volunteer at a hospital, if you want to become a teacher then volunteer to be a tutor. The list goes on and on. Who knows, you might figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. You might even find a passion for a specific area and if you have the opportunity to work in something you have a passion for then you have hit the jackpot.

There is a charity program or organization for almost everything. Pick one you like and start volunteering. It is as easy as that. If you have the ability to volunteer it would be a disservice to deny all those in need your skills. Volunteering is a great way to do something with your life and teach yourself lessons. Volunteering is above all a very rewarding experience I believe everyone should have the privilege of encountering. Be proactive and volunteer at a charity today!

If I could be any kind of doctor I would be an optometrist, meaning an eye doctor. I became interested in the work of an optometrist when I went to get my first set of contacts. At my appointment I was surprised by the amount of technology used. I was also interested in the purpose and workings of the technology. One machine in particular that I remember is a machine that blows a rapid shot of air into your eye. Its hard not to blink but you have to do your best not to close your eye. Another machine I remember is one that gave you the same image in different focuses. This machine was to determine how much magnification you need on each eye. As an optometrist I would get to work with these machines to determine the best prescriptions for my patients

Being an eye specialist my job would also require me to check vision and diagnose and treat diseases of the eyes. I believe that being an optometrist would allow me to be a doctor as well as have a life. As an optometrist I would have a set number of hours of work per day. I could go to work during the day and do whatever I want after. What I mean by this is that I wouldn't be on-call 24/7. It's not like I should expect a call at 3:30 in the morning telling me I need to come to work immediately. I think my job as an optometrist would be great.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

If I were twenty feet tall, life would be a challenge. Being twenty feet tall would be four times my height now. My house would have to be enormous. I doubt playing soccer for a team would be possible; I mean the ball would be the size of my tooth. Driving would be out of the question because they don't make cars that big and the roads are not built for cars that size. Even walking would be a difficult task. I would have to be careful not to step on anyone or destroy anything. Who knows how many pounds of food I would have to use to create a decent meal for a giant. Finding clothes would be close to impossible. Basically being twenty feet tall would be a MAJOR inconvenience. Probably the only good thing about being twenty feet tall would be that finding space to think would be easy because with my height, chaotic noise wouldn't even reach me.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

One thing I'm good at is playing the flute. In middle school I was first chair in the advanced band. I no longer play in a school band, but occasionally I decide to take out my flute and see what I remember. I still know the scales and I still know how to read music. I remember playing rapid music and how my fingers use to move fast , almost dance, over the keys. My finger s are not as fast anymore but are still pretty quick. You also need a lot of air to be able to play the flute and hold the notes. Luckily, I was great at controlling my air. Playing the flute was a hobby I enjoyed. I think its cool to be able to play an instrument, and although I'm not as great as I use to be I'm still pretty good. Playing the flute is a talent I am proud of.

Monday, October 4, 2010

If I were to invent a new sandwich I would start with the bread. I would choose an Italian herbs and cheeses' bread. Then I'd add a piece of barbecue chicken. Next I would add beans, lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes. I would add Swiss and cheddar cheese and then toast the sandwich so that the cheeses melt. Last I would add ranch and chipotle sauce to tie the whole sandwich together. I'm getting hungry just thinking about my deliciously unique sandwich.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

I play left defense on Inglewood's Varsity Soccer team. Last year I was awarded M.I.P or Most Improved Player. As the name implies, I won it for improving my game more than my other team mates. It doesn't mean I was the best player it just means I improved the most. I didn't improve overnight. I had to practice, practice, practice. I made sure to work on my sprinting and ball control skills. I even worked on not being afraid of heading the ball. I tried to give one hundred percent of myself at the soccer games even when I was physically hurt. Winning Most Improved Player was an honor and an accomplishment I am really proud of. I am pleased with how far in the game of soccer I have come.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

I would like to be able to have the superpower of force field. With the power of force field, I would be able to protect my family. One example would be if we were driving and all of a sudden there is a car accident right in front of us. Cars are crashing into each other all over the place ironically trying to avoid crashing into the original accident. I see that we are about to crash too. With my superpower I would be able to put a force field around our car so that nothing happens to us. I would also not mind using my force field to protect anybody in need at a specific moment. I guess I would feel much safer if I had the superpower of force field.

Friday, October 1, 2010

If I could spend an afternoon with any member of my family I would choose my grandpa. His name is Adrian and he is whom my big brother was named after. My grandfather unfortunately passed away but he meant a lot to my family. I would choose my grandpa because I miss him. I want to hear his voice again and his laugh when he playfully tries to trip me. I know my grandfather like to eat, so for our afternoon together I would take him to a nice restaurant. Then we would go to a park and lay under a huge tree. We would talk about what's been going on in my life and without a doubt he would give me his thoughts and advice. Knowing my grandfather, I know we would also talk about the Bible and God, which I don't mind at all. My grandfather was a spiritual, loving man and I would love to spend an afternoon with him.